r in the end by watching the way he was with Jefferson. The entire scene with Grant and Paul in the last chapter was necessary to the story because is showed some hope. If it was anyone else who delivered the notebook to Grant and told him about the execution, I think that it would not have been as emotional because Paul was there throughout the entire novel as a white man who cared about the blacks.Besides the ending, all the setting descriptions, and the talk with Paul, there is still another part of the last chapter that makes the ending powerful. “Why wasn’t I there? Why wasn’t I standing beside him? Why wasn’t my arm around him? Why?” (p.250). This part where Grant is questioning himself shows that he has now started to truly question himself and his life purpose. It shows regret for not being there for Jefferson when he needed him most. Even though Grant should have been standing besides Jefferson when he died, at least he knew that he should have been. The “old” Grant wouldn’t have even questioned why he wasn’t by Jefferson’s side. Instead the “old” Grant would have been glad for the whole situation to be over with. But Grant learned his lesson, or at least he was on the right path. After looking at all the circumstances, the end of the book is hopeful in the sense that Grant was sincere in his remorse and regrets, which was a sign of improvement. Of course, the ending is somber because Jefferson is dead, but he has died with dignity on the prefect day that was meant for him. This sense of dignity is uplifting. In addition, the earth accepted his death as he did. And Paul is a white person on the right path towards the beginning of the end of racism and symbolizes hope for the futre of humankind. ...
